After the Same Rainbow's End
by Alcandre
Summary: Part 3 of the Holiday Series. It's New Year's Eve and Regina is having a party. What in the world has she gotten herself into? Swan Queen


This is the third part of my ongoing Holiday series. You don't have to read the other two to get this but it wouldn't hurt. The other two show a slow progression to what is going to happen here.

This is a Swan Queen fic. If you don't like it, don't read it. It is as simple as that. I didn't intend for my holiday series to go this way at the beginning but my love for Regina and Emma just grew into this. So, if you do read it, review. I love to hear what you guys think!

Also, a little shout out to all who reviewed the last chapter of "We Need a Little Christmas". Especially **queerfemme**. You cracked me up with your review. I hope you didn't wake up your sister. But if you did, tell her to read this one! LOL

Also, **CandyApple75**…I just wanted to say thanks for reading and reviewing so often with the last story. I hope this lives up to that!

And **2takuya**, don't worry. Emma and Henry and Regina bonding time will come. Emma just needs to learn to open up to others. Wait for it! LOL

And as always, thanks to Laura, who reviewed this one very fast! I didn't write it until it was almost too late to post in time for New Year's. But since she's an awesome beta, she got it back to me in a day! Woot!

I don't own _Once Upon a Time_ (duh) or the song _Moon River_ (double duh) or _Breakfast at Tiffany's_ (really? You had to ask?).

* * *

"_10!"_

_Emma grimaced as she turned the TV up a little louder. The laughter from the apartment next to hers' was so loud it made it seem like the party was in her apartment._

"_9!"_

_But she hadn't been invited. Not that she minded. She had actually just moved to Atlanta and didn't know a soul yet. So, even if she had gotten an invite, she wouldn't have attended. _

"_8!"_

_And she wasn't in a partying mood. The past year had been awful. At 25, she had done plenty. She had been a waitress, a retail girl, a dishwasher, a clerk, and a janitor. All since she had left jail. But being a bail bondsman was probably the hardest and most exhausting. _

"_7!"_

_But also the most rewarding. But that was beside the point. She had finally caught a guy. And he wasn't happy. He had put up a fight; a physical fight. And she had the black eye to prove it. _

"_6!"_

_She turned the TV up a little more. It was her tradition. After an especially hard day she would put in a movie. And she had been in the mood for a classic. So, 'Breakfast at Tiffany's" was placed in the DVD player._

"_5!"_

"_He's all right! Aren't you, cat? Poor cat! Poor slob! Poor slob without a name! The way I see it I haven't got the right to give him one. We don't belong to each other. We just took up one day by the river. I don't want to own anything until I find a place where me and things go together. I'm not sure where that is but I know what it is like. It's like Tiffany's."_

_Emma smiled at Audrey Hepburn's beautiful face. God, she loved her. Her class, her grace, her beauty. That was a true woman. And Emma didn't mind spending New Year's Eve with Audrey. _

"_4!"_

_It was much better than spending it alone, at least. Emma could at least pretend that she and Audrey had a lot in common. Or at least she and Holly Golightly. No one really had a lot in common with Audrey Hepburn. She was just too perfect._

"_3!"_

_It was getting closer. No matter how much Emma tried to distract herself, the year was coming to a close and a new one was about to begin. Well, it __should__ sure as hell be better than this past year. This past year sucked. It was one of the reasons she moved to Atlanta. She had to get away. Almost starving was something that would always make anyone want to get away. _

"_2!"_

"_We're alike; me and Cat. A couple of poor nameless slobs."_

_Emma snorted, feeling more in tune with Holly Golightly than ever before. She may have a name but that was all. And she was getting pretty damn tired of it._

"_1!"_

_And it was here. Finally here. And it didn't feel different. It never did._

"_HAPPY NEW YEAR!"_

_Emma watched Audrey Hepburn smile and felt a sad answering smile cross her own face. _

_She raised her bottle of beer up toward the TV. "Happy New Year, Audrey. Happy fucking New Year."_

* * *

The ringing of her phone startled her out of her deep sleep. The "Doctor Who" theme song blasted from her phone and made her scowl. Henry had been messing with her stuff again. She was going to kill him.

"Lo?" she answered, her eyes barely open.

"Honestly, Emma, were you still asleep?" Regina's low voice cut through Emma's sleep muddled mind like a knife.

"Maybe," she answered with a smirk, her eyes not opening a bit.

"Stop smirking and wake up," Regina ordered.

Emma cleared her throat and sat up. "Fine, I'm awake," she said as she stifled a yawn. "Whaddya want?"

"So elegant," the brunette muttered.

Emma snorted. Regina continued.

"I'm having a New Year's Eve party. You and your parents are invited."

"I know," Emma stated. "We discussed this on Christmas Even when we were over at your place."

"Yes, well," Regina sounded nervous. And that made Emma fully wake up.

"What's wrong?"

Regina cleared her throat.

"Regina?"

"I-" she stopped and then started again. "I need your help."

Emma's mouth dropped open. "Excuse me?"

"I swear, Ms. Swan, if you say one smart thing-"

"Nuh-uh," Emma said quickly. "I didn't say a word. I just want to make sure I heard you correctly."

"Look," Regina huffed. "Can you just come over early tonight? And bring stuff for the party. I don't do parties. I do balls. Or meals. Or get-togethers. Not parties."

Emma smiled but made sure that didn't come through her voice. "Okay. But bear in mind, this party isn't a normal 'let's get crazy drunk' party. I mean, my parents will be there!"

"And Henry."

"Duh."

"And Red and Mrs. Lucas."

"Wha-?"

"And the dwarves."

"Whoa."

"And a few of the fairies."

"Oh my God, Regina! You invited the whole town!"

"I know!" Regina shouted, her voice sounding unusually flustered. "I can't believe I did that! You and your parents are one thing. But I knew I needed to invite Red and her grandmother and the dwarves. And with Grumpy comes Astrid and Blue. It just got out of hand!"

"Regina," Emma said in a gentle voice. "Calm down. I'll get dressed and be right over. What time is everyone showing up?"

"7ish."

Emma looked at the clock. "Holy shit!" she shouted. "It's 4:30!"

"I know!" Regina said darkly. "That's why I asked why you were still asleep."

"I worked the night shift," Emma retorted. "So, sue me." She slid out of bed, her phone in one hand as she shucked off her sleep shorts.

"So, you're coming?"

"I'll be there by 5:30," Emma said as she pulled out her nicest pair of jeans. "I'll even bring my famous dip."

"Famous?" Regina snarked. "You sure it isn't infamous?"

"Ha ha," Emma said dryly. "It is actually the one thing I can make and not mess up. You still want Snow to bring the champagne?"

"Yes. I have cider but I don't know if people would appreciate that."

Emma snorted. "Probably not. Do you have sparkling grapejuice for Henry?"

"Sparkling…"

"Sure, it'll make him feel like he's just like us and drinking champagne."

"I didn't think about that. Should I pick some up?"

"I'll get Snow to grab some. I'll probably need to drink that as well. Can't have the Sheriff drunk on the craziest night of the year."

"Craziest night of the year? Really? In Storybrooke? The craziest thing in town will be at my house."

"Very true."

* * *

The party was in full swing. If one would call it a party. Emma had convinced Regina that nothing really needed to be done. They had The Times Square Party going on the TV and some quiet music playing in the background. Emma had dragged the second TV into the den as well and Henry had hooked the Wii up to it. Currently, he and Emma were dancing around like idiots to "Just Dance 4".

Regina was watching all of this in awe. Everyone seemed to be having fun. Which blew her away. The fairies and Mrs. Lucas were with a few of the dwarves, giggling and talking. The rest of the dwarves and Red were watching their Savior lose horribly to an 11 year old boy at dancing while James was sitting on the sofa, cheering his daughter on and claiming that he was next.

"This is fun," Snow said softly as she suddenly appeared at Regina's side.

Brown eyes cut over to the shorter brunette. "Really?" she asked, her insecurity coming through in a surprising moment of vulnerability.

"Yeah," Snow nodded. "This was a good idea. Just a group of family and friends gathered together to ring in the New Year. I like it." Snow smirked. "Kind of upset that I didn't think of it first."

"Please, Your Highness," Regina sneered, gaining her usual confidence back. "I was always much quicker than you."

"Really?" Snow asked in all seriousness. "Because the way I see it, you've taken your sweet time about it."

Regina raised an eyebrow. "About what?"

Snow looked over at the former Evil Queen and then over to her frantically dancing daughter. "I think you know what I'm talking about." She sighed and shook her head. "Just get on with it, Regina. You and I both know you want to."

Regina watched her go with wide eyes. Snow had gotten the last word in yet again. And what a last word it was.

* * *

Regina slowly made her way over to Emma, who was sitting on the sofa watching Henry and James battle it out in "Just Dance". The blonde was mouthing the words to the song with a grin, laughing as her father wiggled his hips a little.

"Hey, I just met you and this is crazy…"

"Is this really what they call music these days?" Regina asked as she sat down next to Emma.

The blonde shrugged, not taking her eyes off the two dancers. "Guess so," she said before she finally turned green eyes to Regina. "But it sure makes for great entertainment in the dancing department."

Regina gave an answering grin as she watched her son dance. "He's good," she said proudly.

"Of course he is!" Emma stated. "He's got enough energy for this game! My knees started creaking after one stanza of "Never Gonna Give You Up"!"

Regina raised an eyebrow while Emma just gave a sheepish grin. "Old job injury, I swear."

A brunette head just shook before Regina took a fortifying breath. It was almost midnight. And she wanted to get this done before then.

"Emma," she started.

"Regina," Emma suddenly said, cutting her off. Green eyes were suddenly focused back on brown, a pleading look in them. "Please don't make this a cliché."

"What?"

Emma studied Regina's shocked face and then stood up. "Let's go to the kitchen and do this. We don't want an audience."

A ball of dread started to sit heavily in Regina's stomach as she followed Emma to the kitchen. She was so caught up in her nervousness, she didn't see Snow give her daughter a worried glance.

As they entered the kitchen, Emma poured herself a glass of champagne and then turned around to look at the mayor.

"What did you mean," Regina started, her throat suddenly feeling dry. "About not making this a cliché?" She wanted to curse her insecurity. This was stupid but she certainly couldn't help it. This certain emotion just came with the territory.

"What I meant," Emma stated, "was that I didn't want you to cheapen this by trying to kiss me at midnight just because that is what you are supposed to do."

"But-"

Emma shook her head as she took a step closer. "We both know where our relationship is headed, Regina. I think we are both smart enough to know how we feel for each other."

Regina just nodded, her mouth hanging slightly open. Later, weeks later even, she would look back on this moment and cringe at the horrible picture she was presenting.

"Spending so much time with you over the past few months has shown me that not only do you care about people and aren't truly evil but that you are a nice person."

Regina resisted the urge to snort.

Emma just smirked and sat the glass on the counter.

"And while I have known from the moment I entered this town that you were drop dead gorgeous," she continued. "I didn't fully realize my feelings for you until after the curse broke."

"Feelings?" Regina parroted. She would also curse her lack of elegant speech in the weeks to come.

Emma rolled her eyes. "I love you, damn it."

That broke Regina out of her stupor. "Really, Emma?" she asked with a tone of disbelief. "That's how you confess your love?"

"Well, you just didn't seem to get it!" Emma protested. "Even after I seem to drop everything to spend time with you!"

This time Regina did snort. "Well, I wasn't too sure if you were fast enough on the uptake to get it yourself."

"I'll have you know," Emma countered. "I'm very fast on the uptake!" She took another step closer to Regina. "I have known about my feelings for a while."

"Oh, please!" Regina said with a roll of her eyes. "You probably just figured it out this morning!"

"I did not!"

"I know that I've loved you since before the curse broke!"

"Well, you sure didn't act like it!"

"For God's sake, just kiss her already!" A voice that sounded suspiciously like Red's said from the kitchen doorway.

Emma didn't even look to see who ordered her to do what she had been dying to do for months. She just grabbed Regina's shoulders and pulled her towards her, crushing their lips together in a kiss that had needed to happen for too long.

Neither woman noticed Red's grinning face, Snow's smile with a lot of worry in it, James' upset frown, or Henry's full tooth grin. They just noticed how soft the lips they were kissing were. And how right it felt.

"It's about damn time," Red muttered, causing Snow to smack the back of her head.

"10!"

It was New Year's Eve and Emma Swan was happy. Happier than she had been in years. She wasn't alone, which was a huge plus from years before.

"9!"

She was with her family, which she never dreamed she would have.

"8!"

She was with her friends, who were just as close as family to her.

"7!"

She was with her son, who she never thought she would see again after giving birth to him.

"6!"

And she was with the love of her life, which was something she had promised herself she would never feel again after Neal.

"5!"

She thought back a moment to New Year's past, feeling a little nostalgic for a good Audrey Hepburn movie. Maybe she could get Regina to watch "Breakfast at Tiffany's" with her one day.

"4!"

Henry would probably like it, too. He seemed like such an old soul in a young body. And after Audrey they could watch some modern classics, like "The Dark Knight" trilogy.

"3!"

They could make it a movie night. And they could go out to dinner. All three of them. Or maybe just her and Regina. On a date. Wow, a date with Regina.

"2!"

A hand grabbed Emma's and gave it a squeeze. Emma looked down then back into brown eyes that seemed to twinkle with happiness.

"This may be cliché, Ms. Swan," Regina whispered. "But I'm going to kiss you now. So be ready."

"1!"

Emma would always be ready. "Happy New Year," she said right before her lips were captured.

_Two drifters off to see the world.__  
__There's such a lot of world to see.__  
__We're after the same rainbow's end-__  
__waiting 'round the bend,__  
__my huckleberry friend,__  
__Moon River and me._

The End (for now)

The for now is put in because I plan to continue the Holiday Series. So, look for more later on.

Also, REVIEW! That is all.


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